Colour
by GreenNebulae
Summary: Mycroft exists in so many shades of moral ambiguity he loses track of black and white. Sherlock devotes his days to solving murders of individuals; Gregory makes a career out of getting justice for individuals, so how can he explain that individuals are not important in the grand scheme of things, not even individuals like John Watson? Mystrade part of A Good Old Fashioned Story


**TheDarkestShinobi:** So the first thought when I had colour was uuuuhhhhh. Then it was Pride because of the Supreme Court ruling of Marriage equality! Then I looked to see what couple I hadn't written yet and picked Mycroft and Gregory. I was reminded of a scene in a longer Johnlock I wrote that could be transformed to Mystrade and here we go.

 _ **Prompt**_ : Colour

 _ **Pairing**_ : Mycroft/Lestrade

Mycroft pulls out his phone to read his new text, which is simply 'open the door' from an unknown number. He frowns before shaking his head and replacing the phone in his breast pocket. It cannot be Sherlock, as their last meeting was rather painful for the both of them. He expected no less. Telling Sherlock to leave John, especially in the hands of Moriarty could not be anything other than challenging and painful. John accepted the position with more ease than Sherlock has letting go, problem is John seems to have taken to the position and until Mycroft figures out just what is happening there is nothing he nor Sherlock can really do. Moriarty has him twisted in a knot.

Mycroft sighs at the memory of the past few days, of John obediently following Moriarty around, being ordered to cause Sherlock to stop looking for John-as if such a feat were even possible, and the physical altercation with Sherlock. He absentmindedly rubs his jaw as he stands. Mycroft walks over to the door of his office and opens it to see no one, and then, out of sheer curiosity, he walks to the main entrance door and opens that.

"Mycroft." Gregory says in greeting and Mycroft opens the door further, did Sherlock send him here? End the newly formed relationship out of spite for what happened; it shouldn't be surprising. Attachment is weakness, and if Sherlock chose to rid him of it, Mycroft supposes he should be thankful.

"Detective Inspector." Mycroft greets lowly, more than aware of the rules about talking in the club, the other patrons already beginning to stare. Gregory takes two steps in and notices all of the others sitting in the room, so he civilly lets Mycroft lead him to an office. "We can talk in here," Mycroft starts, but he never gets to finish because, for the second time in a week, he is floored by a punch to the face.

"Before I have you thrown in prison." Mycroft begins as he stands, a few thoughts running through his mind. "I'll give you one minute to explain why you thought this your best course of action." Mycroft assumes the relationship is over, no need to explain that much. The DI was closer to Sherlock than he. Gregory is barely controlling himself, the twitching of his hands and lips making that evident. Mycroft's hand is rubbing his jaw but other than that, he remains unaffected, outwardly. Gregory lets out a deep breath.

"Apparently, John Watson," As if there were ever another John, "is sending Sherlock to solve murders and is _threatening_ to blow people up if Sherlock fails or is too slow." Gregory crosses his arms and Mycroft lowers his. "If John is with Moriarty, you have to know." Mycroft begins to speak but Gregory hold up a hand and shoots Mycroft a dirty look. "Don't, just don't. I'm not stupid; I know how your world works." Mycroft lets a small political smile grace his face and barely refrains from his initial response of 'no, you don't know how anything really works'.

Gregory has always seen things in black and white. Either you killed the person or you didn't. Either the evidence proved you guilty or innocent. He didn't have to play the legal games of justified murder or severity. He just determined who did what and who didn't. It was a simple, binary existence.

Mycroft's existence covered in so many shades of moral ambiguity he sometimes lost track of black and white, let alone up and down, right from wrong, or hateful criminal to well-meaning vigilante. Mycroft has had to _help_ Moriarty before because sometimes it's the lesser of two evils. Sherlock devotes his days to solving murders of individuals; Gregory makes a career out of getting justice for individuals, so how can Mycroft explain that individuals are not important in the grand scheme of things, not even individuals like John Watson?

How does Mycroft say that giving John up was relatively easy compared to all of the things he had to do? Especially because John was a soldier that understood the sacrifice of the individual for the safety of people he'd never meet or be thanked by. John was willing to do all of this to protect people and Mycroft is willing to get his hands dirty in the biggest game of numbers in the country. Sherlock will once in a while toe the line of morals but Gregory sees nothing of that. There is no way to introduce color to a man of black and white. It is strange that the very quality Mycroft admired most in Gregory would be the quality that prevents them from moving forward.

"So why are you here?" He asks civilly, wondering if this is just to break up in person, accuse him of being a terrible brother, or a variety of reasons. Gregory closes his eyes and lets out a breath.

"You knew about John and Moriarty." Mycroft doesn't answer, just waits for the gavel to fall. "And you didn't think to let me in on this." He shakes his head. "For all of your wisdom you couldn't see how much that would kill your brother and you stupidly kept it to yourself." Gregory throws his hands around as he moves. "You didn't think to have us run some damage control?" Mycroft looked away.

"Every night I'd ask you what happened and you'd never thought, 'Hey, I should tell Gregory John is NOT dead and maybe working for Moriarty,' you'd lie to me and say not much or nothing I'd be interested in." He stops and stares at Mycroft so intently that Mycroft turns and meets his eyes.

"When did you find out he wasn't dead but with Moriarty?" Mycroft swallows and lets out a breath.

"Wrong question." He replies. "I didn't find out."

"You didn't find-you knew." Gregory's face changes and in an instant Mycroft knows he's lost him. "You knew before it happened then, you let John go to Moriarty." Mycroft shakes his head and Gregory's arms cross. Mycroft pinches the bottom of his nose and Gregory's fingers thrum against his arms.

"No." Mycroft pauses, knowing he is in the eye of the storm and meets Gregory's eyes. "I made him." Gregory's fingers freeze and then tighten on his biceps.

"WHAT?" He is moving towards Mycroft as he yells and Mycroft continues talking to slow him down.

"I was responsible for faking John's death. I made John serve under Moriarty for a short while; it was part of a bargain." Mycroft spoke slowly, but how do you explain color to a blind person? "Apparently, at the end of the bargain, John chose to stay."

"I want to punch you again." Gregory confesses in anger.

"I assure you that _will_ end with you in prison." Mycroft keeps a neutral expression on his face but he still takes a step back.

"John wouldn't just jump ship like that. He was a soldier for Christ's sake, he's all about Queen and country."

"I don't know." Mycroft admits as he watches Gregory for another outburst. "But we know Moriarty has made no threat against us since then, and watching John proves troubling." He pauses "as far as we can tell, John is a willing participant in all of this."

"We? Who's we, then?" Gregory asks. "Not Sherlock. Not me."

"Try to understand, Moriarty threatened-"

"Moriarty will always have threats." Gregory interrupts. "It's what we do that determines what happens. You don't negotiate with terrorists and you don't hand them soldiers!"

Mycroft moves behind his desk and opens his top draw as Gregory continues.

"You just going to give him what he wants the next time too? When do you take a stand because I can tell you when someone's a criminal and-what's that?"

Mycroft has pulled out the folder John handed him the last time they met and slides it over to Gregory. He sits at the table and opens it. Mycroft watches Gregory's face sink into horror. "We have to stop this Mycroft, hundreds of people will die!"

"These are the folders John brought to me the last time I saw him."

"So John's a double agent?" Gregory sounds relieved but Mycroft shakes his head.

"No. This was part of the bargain. One man's months for hundreds of lives." It was an easy solution to Mycroft.

"But… John?" Mycroft sighs, stands and turns away.

"John Watson is a Captain in Her Majesty's forces. He has shown valor and commitment time and time again as well as a willingness to put other's lives before his own. He has devoted parts of his life in the service of this country and now he continues to do so. Honestly, this was his choice as well."

"Once you explained the situation to him I'm sure. He could be killing people out there!"

"And what do you think he was doing in Afghanistan and Iraq?" Mycroft turns around and Gregory sucks in a breath. "Surely, you could argue the caliber of people are different but it seems to me like he hasn't killed anyone here to compare to."

"Why?"

"One man for hundreds of lives? Wouldn't you? Pretend it was someone you didn't know, never met." Mycroft leans over the desk. "Pretend for just a moment, that your job, every day, was to decide when to choose the one man or the hundred."

"You don't negotiate-"

"If you don't play the game you lose all 101 people!" Mycroft shouts, glad his office is soundproof. "I come in here every day and I play that game and no one tells me if I'm right or wrong. There is no evidence that supports me or a team of people I can hand the results to and have them take care of it. I don't operate within city blocks or even cities themselves."

"Mycroft…"

"Have you not figured out what I do yet?" Mycroft glares at him, growling. "My fancy gadgets," Mycroft throws the phrase back at him from last night. "My office, my power?"

"John verses the masses was the easiest decision I've had to make in ages, especially because John agreed. I preform massive balancing acts to keep us running, the criminals fighting each other more than us and our people safe. I can't tell you because you can't begin to understand the moral grayness of what I do, Detective, so do not presume to judge me when you know nothing." Gregory purses his lips before looking away. "You couldn't handle John carrying a gun, how could you balance lives?"

"What I do must seem like nothing to you then." Gregory looks away and Mycroft can feel the anger roll off of him in ways. John was his friend and knowing what he now knows it's hard not to see John as a victim of warfare. Mycroft shakes his head.

"On the contrary, I appreciate all the help I get keeping the country safe. No matter how big or small the job is."

"And John?" Gregory asks.

"I've been monitoring him but I see no evidence he's being forced to do this, and what's more is that there isn't much I can do if he is being forced." Gregory looks back to the folder.

"So what can we do?"

"Our hands are tied." Mycroft sighs and Gregory is almost relieved that there is still something that can stump the other.

"So nothing, we sit and wait around and hope Moriarty gets bored." Gregory runs a hand through his hair. "Grey indeed." Mycroft offers a small smile and Gregory returns it.

"What about Sherlock?"

"Sherlock sent John away before Moriarty wanted him." Mycroft put his hand in his head. "I didn't know he would change his mind about him." Mycroft freezes at the hands on his shoulders but Gregory keeps rubbing. "Even if they had been together, I still would've done it, though I would have brought Sherlock into it earlier."

"Why didn't you do it before Moriarty made you?"

"Could you?"

"What?"

"Could you tell Sherlock you took the one thing he loves and gave it to Moriarty?"

"No." Gregory's hands stop so Mycroft turns to face him. "I suppose I couldn't." He looks down and then up. "But I can help you and Sherlock get through this."

Mycroft smiles at his naivety. The thought that the DI could do anything was amusing but his desire to was so genuine Mycroft would not take it from him.

"The only hands Moriarty will not tie are Sherlock's."

"Good." Gregory nods. "We will keep you out of our loop then." He smiles. "We'll beat John's game and then get him back." Mycroft blinks in surprise as Gregory kisses him but he responds as he did last night and before he knows it Gregory is pulling back with a smile.

"I guess I have to show you that you don't always have to lose." Mycroft smiles.

"You can try." Gregory grins.

"You can't stop me." Mycroft holds his fingers to his lips as the DI leaves and can't help but wonder if he would've had a harder time handing the DI over than John and if he'd ever get to the point of choosing that one over the hundred.


End file.
